In the related art, a fuel cell type two-wheeled vehicle that is driven by supplying electrical power generated by a fuel cell to a motor and driving a rear wheel using this motor is known. With a fuel cell system, electricity is generated by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen, as a fuel gas, and oxygen, as a reactant gas, but in this electrochemical reaction there is an appropriate reaction temperature, and at a low temperature or high temperature reaction efficiency is lowered and in particular, if the temperature is too high the lifespan of the fuel cell is shortened. Therefore, with an electrical generation system using fuel cells, it is necessary to have a cooling unit in order to remove heat generated during fuel cell electricity generation to the outside of the fuel cell, and keep the operating temperature of the fuel cell within a specified temperature range.
Generally, fuel cell systems have a laminated structure of a plurality of electrical cells, with a cooling plate interposed between each electrical cell. A cooling gas passage is formed in the cooling plates, and a stack is cooled by having cooling gas flow in this cooling passage.
Technology using external air as cooling gas and reactant gas is disclosed in Japanese patent laid open No. Hei. 2001-131468, and with this technology, an air blasting fan for cooling a fuel cell stack and a blower for supplying air to the fuel cell stack as reactant gas are provided as air cooling means.
With the above described technology of the related art, it is necessary to have first air cooling means (air blasting fan) for cooling the fuel cell stack and second air cooling means (blower) for supplying air to the fuel cell stack as reactant gas. For this reason, not only does this contribute towards an increase in the number of components, increase in vehicle weight and rise in cost, but since it is necessary to arrange two air cooling means in space that is limited in a two wheeled vehicle there is a technological problem that freedom of design is restricted.
The object of the present invention is to solve the above-described technical problems in the related art, and to provide a fuel cell vehicle capable of efficiently cooling a fuel cell stack and supplying sufficient reactant gas to the fuel cell stack.